Music for August 6, 2017 + The Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ

Vocal Music

• Christ, upon the mountain stands - Robert W. Lehman (b. 1960)
• Bruce Bailey, Tenor

Instrumental Music

• Grand Plein Jeu on Deo Gracias – Mary Beth Bennett (b 1954)
• Prelude on Be Still – Ashley Grote (b 1982)
• Agincourt Hymn – John Dunstable (c.1390-1453), arr. E Power Biggs

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982 with the exception of those marked “R” which are from Renew.)

• Hymn 7 - Christ, whose glory fills the skies (RATISBON)
• Hymn 383 - Fairest Lord Jesus (ST. ELIZABETH)
• Hymn 366, st. 5 - Holy God, we praise thy name (GROSSER GOTT)
• Hymn R201 - Be still, for the Spirit of the Lord (BE STILL)
• Hymn R33 - We will glorify the King of kings (WE WILL GLORIFY)
• Hymn R247 - Lord, the light of your love (SHINE, JESUS, SHINE)
• Psalm 99:5-9 - Tone VIIIa

The sixth of August is the date on the church calendar when we commemorate the Feast of the Transfiguration. The transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in three of the Gospels and the Second Epistle of Peter.

In these accounts, Jesus and three of his apostles, Peter, James, and John, go to a mountain to pray. On the mountain, Jesus begins to shine with bright rays of light. Then the prophets Moses and Elijah appear next to him, speaking with him, when, for the second time, God the Father proclaims him his only-begotten and well-loved son.

Since August 6 rarely falls on a Sunday, we always end the season after Epiphany with this story, since it is the culminating point of his public life, as his Baptism is its starting point, and his Ascension its end. But when August 6 does fall on a Sunday, we celebrate it again.

One of the classic hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany is the hymn O wondrous sight! O vision fair.

O wondrous sight! O vision fair
of glory that the church shall share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun he glows!

The text is one of several that was brought into usage at Salisbury Cathedral in the late fifteenth century with its inclusion in The Sarum Breviary (1495). The tune that many churches  use (though not the Anglican Church) is DEO GRACIAS, a stirring, fifteenth-century tune often called "The Agincourt Hymn," as it originally accompanied a hymn-text celebrating Henry V's triumph over the French at Agincourt, on St. Crispian’s Day, October 25th, 1415. It is thought to be written by John Dunstable, one of the most influential composers of the early fifteenth century. The closing voluntary is supposed to be an example of his organ music, though there is probably more E. Power Biggs than John Dunstable in the actually music. Biggs, who was the leading organist in the mid-twentieth century, and an early champion of 'Early Music" (pre-J. S. Bach), wrote this about Dunstable.

One epitaph of John Dunstable describes him as “an astrologian, a mathematician, a musician, and what not.” A contemporary of Chaucer, little of Dunstable’s life is known, yet from his music we may honor this almost mythical Englishman as the first to write music of clear and pleasing contours, and we may credit him with the evolution of a melodious style and successful harmonious punctuation of musical sentences. Some writers call him the first contrapuntist. It is believed that Dunstable was in the service of the chapel Royal, and that he was the author of the famous hymn celebrating the victory of Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt... 1

This tune is also used as the Cantus Firmus of the opening voluntary by Virginia organist Mary Beth Bennett. She writes in a 18th Century style. The term Plein Jeu (“full chorus”) originated with the classical French organ (c1650-1790), and referred to a registration consisting of principals, flutes, mixtures, and reed pipes, at 16',8', 4' and 2' pitch. It also refers to a particular compositional form, such as what we have here, with the Grand Plein jeu registration drawn on the manuals and used to play a rather full, chordal texture. The Trompette of the pedal is used to play the melody against this in long note values.

Robert Lehman

Bruce Bailey will sing a new hymn for Transfiguration by the American conductor, organist, harpsichordist and composer, Robert Lehman. Lehman holds a BFA in organ performance from Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a MM in church music from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey, and a Doctorate from the Graduate Theological Foundation of South Bend, Indiana where his particular area of study was pre-Reformation English liturgy with an emphasis on the Sarum Use and the ecclesiastical music of the English Middle Ages.

Robert Lehman is director of music for the Church of St. Michael & St. George in St. Louis. He has served on the staff of several distinguished churches, including the Washington National Cathedral (of which he is a Fellow), the Princeton University Chapel, Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, New York City and the historic Christ Church, New Haven, Connecticut where, under his leadership, the choir and music program gained an international reputation for excellence. 

His compositions are published by several American publishers and have been recorded by leading choirs around the globe.  His work is heard regularly over NPR and the BBC and he has been the recipient of many awards and honors.  

1. Biggs, E. Power, Treasury of Early Organ Music, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Mercury Music Company,  1947.